Sucker-rod elevator



SUCKER ROD- ELEVATOR Filed April 2, 1928 2 sheets-Shut 1 fiTTOEA/EY.

Jan. 20, 1931. ca. E. FRITTS 8 ,70

SUCKER ROD ELEVATOR Filed April 2. 1928 2 Shoet'k-Shoat 2 v UNITED; ES

Patented Jan. 20, 1931 GEORGE 1a ERITTS, or HAnBonci'r CALIFORNIA:

. .svoxnnr aon ELEVATOR a inat on filed April 2, 2 serial 1%. 266,752.

My-invention relates to rod-supporting devices, and more particularly to a" sucker rod elevator. h a h The conventional deep oil-well is equipped i 15 with a pump suspended in the" well on a pump tubing, this tubing being in turn suspended from the-surface of the groundr The pumping action is obtained through a plunger 1n the pump, this plunger being rec procated by astring of sucker rods extendlng upward through the pump tubing; This Sl3 l1I1g'0i sucker rods is formed of lengths Joined together by suitable couplings, these lengths. having enlargedhead portions at each end thereof. In raising the sucker rods from the well, it is necessary to suitably grasp the upper end of the rod at the surface of the ground f It is an object of my invention to provide a devicewhich will grasp and support these sucker rods, although'itshould befundersto'od that my invention is equally applieableto supporting pipes, etc. both in the 011 well 1 ndustry and in other arts. Thus, .I shall'particularly describe jmy inventionwith' rela-' tion to the oil-well industry for the purposes of clearness and definiteness without. limiting myself thereto. A further obj ect'sof my invention is'to provide a rod-supporting device which will automatically close when a rod' is moved thereinto.

' Still another object of my invention to provide a device having a rotatable and axially movable gate which swings into locked position when arod is placed in the device, this gate being easily moved into an open position to release said rod.

Still a further object of my inventionis to provide a rod-supporting device which can:

Furtherobjects and advantages of my invention will be made evident hereinafter. I Referring to the drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a utility View illustrating my invention as applied to an oil-well.

invention taken on the line 22-0f F ig. 1.

not be opened when arod is supported there .'Fi ,-3 is a front view taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 2L. V

Fig.' 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, illustrating the elevator in" locking position.

F-igl 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating' lmy elevator, in disengaged position. Egg. 6 is a sectional view takenon'the' line 6f'6 ofFig.2.fi 1 Fig. 7 is'a rear view takenlin' thedirection of the-arrow '7 of Fig.2;j

Fig. 8 horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 8 -8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9-i's a sectional view takenontheline FigQlO is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 10 10 of Fig. 8. j v Referring to Fig. 1,1 illustrate an oil-well 10 ingvvhich suitable casingsll and 12 have beenzs'et. Extending through} the inner ca's-fi ing-12-is a pump tubing 13 which extends downward to a pump 14. which issupp or'ted therein. One type of pump well-knownin the artthas a plungerf which is reciprocated by a stringof sucker rods 15 extending upward to the surface of the ground these sucker rods being adapted to'rais'e the pump from the well when drawnu p'ward.- In Fig. 1, I have illustrated only one sucker rod supporting thepump 1 1, this sucker rod being indicated by the numeral 16. Thisisucker rod has upper and lower head' member's 17 and 18 respectively whicharelarger in diam eter than the body of the sucker rod. 1

" Adapted to support the sucker rod 16. and

the pump 14 is an elevator 20 incorporating the features of my invention. This elevator comprises a b'ody 21having trunnions 22 extending outward therefrom.- The trunnions 22 are aligned on an axis A-A indicated in Fig.3, this axis being above the central horizontal'axis of the body 21. I The trunnions L22 provide a convenient means for attachinga bail or other supporting member23 to the elevator 20, this supporting member having eyes 24 which surroundythe trunnions 22.

These eyes are held in place by washers 25 and cotter pins 26, as .best'shown in Figs. 2 and Fig. 2 is a top viewof the elevator of my.

3. The supporting member 23 is, inturn, supported on a hook 28 of a travellin'g'block 29, this travelling block being vertically movable relative 'to the well 10.

The mechanical details of the elevator 20 of my invention may best be understood by reference to Figs. 2 to 10 inclusive. Referring particularly to Figs; 2, 5, 8, and 9, the body 21 has an openingtherein, this opening communicating with the front of-the body 'andbeing flared to permit the easy movement ofthe sucker rod 16 into this opening. The

., inner end of the opening 30 is forme'dona diameter substantially equal to the diameter of thesucker rod.

The opening 30 is adaptedto be closed by a, gate 33, this gate being 'pivotally secured'to the body 21 on an axis BB, shown in- Figs.

4 and 5. The gate 33 has a gate body 34,and extending from the upper .end of this body is an upper engager :35 of ashape best shown in Figs. 2. and 5. A similar lower 'engage'r 36 is formed near the'lower end of the gate body 34. Each V of these engagers comprisesa catch portion 38 and ahub portion 39. jFrom an examination of Fig. 5, it will be clear that thehub portion of :the lower engager- 36 is much thicker than the hub portion of the upper engager. In plan view, the shapes of the upperand lower engagers 35 and 36 are iden tical, these views being shown respectively in igs. 2 and 8. Each engager has'a channel 40 formed therein, thischannel being eomplementary to the inner endof the opening 30.-so-thatthis.inner end and the channelj40 cooperate to provide a rod space 41 W-henithe gate is in closed position, indicated in-Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9. The hub portions 39Jof the 1 engagers 35 and 36 are circular in contour, as

shown in Figs. 2 and8. V

. The gate 33 movesinto its lockedposition, shown infull linesin the drawings, by. rotate ing about the axis BB in a position ndicated in Fig. 5. Thisrotationis permitted by a groove 43. formed of such a shape asto permit the catchportion 38 of the lower engager 36 to move therein when the-gateis pivoted. about the axis BB'. Thisgroove' is best shown. in Fig. 8. Inthuspivoting I about this axis, the hub portion 39 of the lower engager 36 turns" in a recess 45i formed inthe body 21. During this closing-movement, the upper engager 35 lies entirelyabove the body 21, and the gate 33 is heldinits upperposition shown in Fig.1 5 through engagement between the engagers 35' and 36 and portions of the body'21. When the gate 33'has been moved into its closedposition, it may drop downward into-a locking position indicated'in .Fig. '4. This downward movement of the gate 33' is permitted by means of upper'and lower cavities46.

and 47 ,these cavities'being adapted torespectively hold the upper and lower engagers 35 and 36. As best shown in Figsf2and 8,

the upper and lower cavities are shaped to conform to the outline of theenga'gers35and 36 so that when the gate 33 is in its lower position indicated in Fig. 4, these engagers snugly fit in their respective cavities, thus preventing an opening of the gate.

This rotation of the gate 33 on the axis B-B and the axial movement thereof along this axis, is permitted by means of a tubular member 50 which is'disp'osed concentric with the axis BB. This tubular member is threaded, as indicated by the numeral .51, into a lower plate; 52 extending between the lower cavity and the lower face of the body 21. This tubular member 50 extends up ward through this lower cavity and through the recess '45, 'being held in an opening formed in a ledge-53 which separates the upper cavity 46 and the recess45. This ledge also has an opening 54 concentric with the axis;B B,, thisopening being of a suitable diameter to journal a bolt 55 whichlextends through the tubular member 50 and is threadedly received'inthe' hubportion 39 v of the upper engager 35 as best shown in.

igs.- 4 and 5. This bolt 55 has a head 57 of:-such a diameter as to be journalled by the-interiorof the tubular member 50. A spring :59 is compressed between the head 57*and the ledge 53, this.springactingto force the gate 33 into locking position at the instantthis gate, reaches itsv fullclosed p0 sition shownin full lines in the drawings.

. The gate 33 isadaptedto be again moved into its upper position, preparatory to'removing the rod from theopening .30 by meansof a mechanism best illustrated in Figs2 to9inclusive. I l

There'are various methods which this returnofthef gate into disengaged position might be eii'ected, but Ipre'fer to utilize a sector gear. 62, the teeth of .which are adapted to engage teeth 63 cut on the circular edge of the hub portion 39 of, the lower engager 36. The teeth are cut'on. a circular contour as .indicatedin F ig; 8, so that the] gate may be opened and closed while the teeth ofthe-sector gear 62 and the teeth 63 are in engagement. The sector gear .62 is se-' grip may be moved from its-full line po sition shownin Fig. 7 into its dotted'line position indicated by-the numeral 7 3, the grip "69 sliding in the channels TO during this movement. A suitable stopm'ember74 is threadedly; received by a web75 extending between the top and bottom plates/71* and 72 respectively, this stop; determining the maximum movementof-the grip 69. lVhen this grip is'movedfrom its'full line position into its dotted line position73, the crank. 67 is so moved as to rotate the shaft 65 and the sector'gear 62. When this is moved, the sector gear moves the gate 33 into its uppermost position, indicated inFig. 5, against the action of the spring 59. When inithis uppermost position the gate: can easily be swung open by withdrawing the sucker rod from the opening 30.

Formed at the lower end ofthe gate body 345is a boss? 8 which is of such a length that its lower face just clears the lower plate 52 when the gate 33 is in its upper position and is moved into an open position. A vertical hole .89 is drilled upward in the boss 78, this hole having a compression spring 90 therein which bears against a ball 91. The lower end of the hole 89 is suitably peened to retain the'ball 91 in the hole 89 so that,

The open position of the gate 33 isindicated. dotted lines 94of Figs. 2, 6, 8, and 9. It IS desirable that the gate33 be swung into closed position, indicated by full lines,

' when the sucker rod 16 is moved into the opening 30. This automatic closing of the gate I accomplish by means of the mechanism best shown in Figs, 2, 6, and 9. Referring to these figures, the central portion of the gate body 34 has an arm 95 extending therefrom, this arm'being movedin a channel 96 of the body 21 when the gate.

33 is pivoted about the axis BB or is moved therealong, This arm 95 assumes a position indicated by dotted 1ines97 when the gate is in open position, so that the rod 16 engagesthis arm when entering the openmg 30.

This arm may, in itself, be used as, a means for moving the gate into locking position. but I have found it more convenient and satisfactory to pivot a link 98 to the arm 95 in a position shown inFig. 9. This pivotal connection is made by bifurcatingthe end of the link 98 and passing a pin through this end and the arm 95. The free end of the link 98 is movable in a passage 99 of the body 21, this end never completely leaving this passage during the time that the gate 33 is being swung from one position into another. As the gate nears its closed position, the sucker rod 16 engages the link 98 rather than the arm 95. The relationship between thelinkand the'arm is su'ch'that'this V engagement of the link and the sucker rod closes the gate more easily than would I the arm 95,

he operation of my invention isas *folv lows i i 1 gages the arm 95 when in its dotted line posisimple engagement of the sucker rodandthe tion 97 and tends to turnthe gate in an anticlockwise direction about the &XlS'B-B after releasing the ball 91 fromthe' depression 92. Asthe sucker rod'lG is moved still further" in the opening 30, this rod engages the link 98 which continues the anti-clockwise rotation of the gate 33 until theupper and lower engagers 46 and 47 may drop into their re-' spectivecavities due to the action of the I spring 59. At this time the sucker-lrodis locked in the elevator 20 and the'rod maybe either "raised 'ori lowered "by-moving the travellingblock29. The rod 16 is not ti htly clamped in the rod space 41, but theweight thereof causesthe head-portion17 of the sucker rod to engage the upper face of the body 21 and the gate 33. "In order to prevent excessive wear on the upper face of the. body 21, I provide a wear plate 102 suitably held in a recess 103 by countersunk screws 104,

VVhen it is desired to release the rod. the p elevator 20 is lowered relative to the head 17 and the operator moves the grip 69-into'1'its dotted line position, thus raising the gate 33.,

At this instant-the operator draws the suckerv rod from the".opening 30, this movement pivoting tliegate 33 about the axis"BB in' This movement of a clockwise direction. the gate .33tis continued until the gate .is entirely fopened at which time'the ball 91Q'en-v gages'the depression 92. i

'The" advantages of my.a-invention over previouslyflused typesarenumerous. In the first place, I accomplish a completesen closure ofthe sucker rodthroughout the'fulll thickness of the elevator body. The gate'33f when in locked position is supported at four po1nts,'thus lnsuring safety'against prema ture opening under abnormal pressure.

placingthe trunnions22 abovethe horizontal center-lineof the body 21, I secure a perfectly balanced structure, both whenthe sucker rod is supported from the elevator and'when this elevator isnot in use. 1 i l the sucker rod into the opening 30, the lock-Q ing action taking place automatically when this rod is moved sufliciently into the openfl ing.

found that its life is verylong.

The gate 33v may bemoved into 'itsiupper position by the use of only one hand, thus, leaving the operators other hand free to. move I claim as my invention'f I I 1. In a sucker rod elevator, the combination of: abody, a rod,.said bodybeing movable relative tov said rod, and having an opening to receive said rod; a gate hinged to said body to .close said opening when said rod" is in place; an arm carried by said gate; and

a link pivoted tosaid arm, said1armand said link cooperating-to move said gate into closed position. Y

2., In a sucker rod elevator, the combination of: a body, a rod, said body being movable relative to said rod, and having an 7 opening to receive said rod; a gate hinged on an axis of said body; means engaging said rod-as it moves into said opening to swing gate into closed position; means for moving i said gate along said axis to lock it in closed position; and means for returning said gate along, said axis, said rod opening said gate in moving from said opening. 7

4. In a sucker rod elevator, the combination of: an elevator body, said body having a cavity therein; a gate pivoted relative to said body; an engager on said gate; a spring operated;mechanism for moving said engager into said cavity when said gate reaches a closed position; and mechanism 'for ra1s-.

ingsaid engager from said cavity.

5. In a sucker rod elevator, the combination of: an elevator body, said body having a cavity therein; agate pivoted relative to said body; an engager on said gate; a spring operated mechanism for moving sald engager into said cavity when said gate reaches,

a closed position; teeth out on said gate; a

I gear meshing with said teeth to move said engager fromsaid cavity; andvmeans for;

turning said gear.

6.,In a sucker'rod elevator, the eombina-' tion of: an elevator body, said body'having a pair of cavities therein; a gate pivoted rela-.

tive to said body; a pair of engagers on said gate; a sprmgoperated mechanism for moving said engager into said cavity when-said gate reaches a closed position and meChanism for raising said engager'fr'om said cavity. 7 g g 7. In a sucker rod elevator, the combination-of: an elevator body, said bodyhaving a groove and a recess therein; a gate; a pair of engagers on said gate; a pair of hub portions on said gate; means for pivoting said hub portions to said elevator body whereby said gate may be moved into closed and open positions; and cavities :in said body into,

which'said engagers are moved when said gate is ma closed position.

8.. In a sucker rod-elevator, the combination of: an elevatorbody, said body having a groove and a recess therein ;.a gate; a pair of engagers onjsa-id-gate; a pair ofhub portions'on said gate;-means for pivotingsaid hub portions to said elevator body whereby said gate may be movedinto closed" and open positions; cavities in said body into which said engagers aremoved when saidgate-is -111 a closed position; and mechanism. for releasing said engagers from said cavities;

'79. Ina sucker rod elevator,thegcombination of: an elevator body, said body having a groove and a recess therein; gate; apair of engagerson said gate; a pair of hub portions on said gate; means for pivotingsaid V hub portions to said elevator body whereby said gate may be moved into'elosed and open positions; cavities in said body into which said engagers are moved when said gate is in a closed'position; teeth on one of said hub portions; a gear meshingwith'said teeth; andlmeans torturning said gear.

10.. In combination abodyhaving a recess therein; a gate having hub portions thereon; a tubular member extending through said recess and journa'lling in one of said hub portions; and a bolt slidable in said tubular member, said bolt being threadedly received by the other of said hub portions.

In testimony whereof, 'I have hereunto.

set my hand at Los Angel'es, California, this 26th day of March, 1928;

. V GEORGE, E. FRITTS.

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